Fire and Ice
by ChildOfFate17
Summary: 5000 years ago, Destiny was banished to the Dominion of the Beasts. In the present, Yami accidentally opens a bridge between the worlds and Destiny finds her way home. But she has changed... and Yami doesn't remember any of their past together. YamiOC
1. Prologue

Chapter One:

**Prologue**

**IMPORTANT NOTE!!**

**YOU MAY SKIP THE PROLOGUE.**

**RESERVE JUDGEMENT UNTIL AFTER THE FIRST CHAPTER.**

_Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh._

**--fire&ice--**

Hope.

Such a simple word for so complex a concept.

Is there any true description of it?

One might call it the steady, underlying burn that drives us in life. Another could claim it to be the sudden flare at each of life's crossroads, when the choices you make directly affect your "happy ever after".

Yet no matter how hope is described, it always seems to be related to fire. But, perhaps, that is why all my hope has faded.

I am not Fire.

In fact, I am the opposite.

I am cold. I am detached. And, in the end, my calm persistence wears all things down.

No, I am not Fire. Once, maybe, but not now. My hopeless future has sucked the Fire from me. Or perhaps my receding Fire has sucked the hope from me. Nevertheless, I am not Fire.

I am Ice.

But despite all the changes ten thousand years of war has wrought on me, one thing will always be the same. It is this knowledge alone that has kept me sane through these long years.

And so I will wait, just a little longer, and take comfort in the knowledge that I am who I am supposed to be.

I am Destiny.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter One:

**Chapter One:**

**Bridge Between the Worlds**

**Note:****The beginning of this story directly follows the plotline of the Yu-Gi-Oh series "A New Evil". If you watch the movie at the same time as reading these first few chapters, you will be able to see exactly how alike they are. Never fear. By chapter 4, I can promise you that the plot will be different.**

**--fire&ice--**

Unnoticed for what he was, the soul of the ancient pharaoh made his way up the steps of the Domino museum. The pull of the God cards grew stronger with every step he took. He was stopped, however, by familiar voices calling out his partners' name.

"Yugi!" Joey, Tristan, and Tea raced up, breathing hard but beaming.

"We've been looking all over for you!" Tea exclaimed, badly hidden worry in her eyes.

"Yeah, why'd you split like that?" Tristan asked.

The Pharaoh turned to face his friends fully. "There's something I need to do," he explained seriously. "And it could be dangerous. I just didn't want to put any of you in harm's way."

"But we're a team!" Tea protested. "What affects one of us affects us all! I've been giving this friendship speech for years. Didn't it sink in yet? Now let's do this!"

"Right!" Joey chirped. "Wait… what exactly are we doing?"

"We're being there for Yugi!" Tristan declared.

The Pharaoh chuckled, his heart warming. No matter how many times he witnessed it, his friends' devotion and loyalty never failed to inspire him. "Just follow me, guys."

**--fire&ice--**

Within the great caverns of the sunken Atlantis, the fallen Priest was the first to feel the stirrings of the ancient magic. The time was at hand to unleash the greatest power mankind has ever known.

Bowing his hooded head, Dartz savored the feel of his dark prayer sliding off his tongue and filling the echoing cavern.

"Great Deities of Domination, I call upon thee. Use the Pharaoh's force to penetrate the Dominion of the Beasts and liberate the fury of ten thousand years!"

**--fire&ice--**

The small group of friends clustered around the Tablet of the Pharaoh. Frustration welled up within Yami as he stared at the familiar, yet foreign hieroglyphics.

"I may be statin' the obvious here, but that looks just like Yugi!" Joey exclaimed, staring at the stone carvings.

"Yes," Yami agreed. "The pharaoh depicted on this stone tablet… is me." In a slow, deliberate movement, the Pharaoh pulled out the Egyptian God cards. A faint whisper caressed his mind as he studied them.

"**All of your questions will soon be answered, Pharaoh… We, the Gods of Egypt, shall assist you… Give unto us your complete faith, and the knowledge you seek will be yours…"**

The whisper faded.

'_Are you sure about this?'_ Yugi asked uneasily. The Pharaoh hesitated for the briefest of moments.

'**Yes.'**

He held up the three God cards before the stone tablet. The cards pulsed and the stone carving of the Millennium Eye reacted.

A dark chuckle echoed in Yami's mind. **"You have served the Gods well, Pharaoh…"**

With an ominous crack, ice formed over the tablet. The warm glow of the Millennium Eye was doused and the God cards' radiance faded. Before Yami could make sense of what had just happened, a jolt of static electricity washed over him. The God cards were glowing again, but their dark aura was anything but benign. When he tried to drop the cards, he found that his hand was frozen. With a grunt of effort, he attempted to gain control over his body.

"Yugi!" Joey cried in alarm. "What's wrong?!"

"I don't know!" The Pharaoh gasped, still grappling with the evil power. "It feels as if a dark presence is draining the power of the Egyptian God cards!" With a final blaze of stolen energy, the evil pressure fled from the cards.

The gang barely had time to recover before a shrill scream echoed outside. Without wasting any time, they sprinted back to the front of the museum.

"You've gotta be kiddin' me!" Joey said, gaping. "It's like a horror flick out here!"

Duel Monsters were everywhere. Even worse, there were no duelists controlling them. There weren't even any visible holographic systems in place. But if the monsters weren't holograms… then what were they?

"Someone's duel disk must have gone haywire," Tristan suggested weakly.

"It would more than one busted duel disk to project monster holograms all over the city," Tea disagreed, voicing everyone's unspoken fear.

"Kaiba's the only person with the equipment to pull this off," Joey stated. "Why don't we pay him a little visit?"

The Pharaoh shook his head with a sigh. "I agree with your logic, Joey, but I'm sure we're not the only ones who have come to this conclusion. Kaiba's office is probably swamped with press by now. Our best bet is probably to go to my place and wait for him to address the issue publicly."

"That's probably true," Joey consented. "Alright, Yugi's it is!" He raced down the museum's steps with Tristan hot on his heels. Yami and Tea followed, and soon they were all flat-out sprinting across Domino City.

The whole town was in panic. Their beloved Duel Monsters were entirely too intimidating when not being controlled by anything.

When the gang was only a few blocks away from the Game Shop, Joey panted, "Isn't that Rex Raptor and Weevil Underwood? What's with them?"

The two duelists didn't even look when the group stopped in front of them. Their eyes were glazed and far away. Weevil was chuckling weakly.

"In case you haven't noticed, the city's under attack!" Tristan pointed out.

"The Age of Destruction is here." Weevil chuckled harder.

"Soon, your souls will be offered to the Great Beast," Rex added. Both laughed dazedly, as if sharing some inside joke.

"They must be in a state of shock or something." Tea looked concerned.

"This is just too weird," Tristan muttered, shaking his head.

"Yeah. It's even weird for these two weirdoes," Joey agreed. "Let's go."

Giving the crazy duelists a wide berth, they arrived at their destination only a few minutes later. Yugi's grandpa was waiting for them at the door, confused. It was clear that he was unharmed, though, when he begged Yugi to let him hold the Egyptian Gods again. Yugi obliged and they left the old man to polish and pamper the cards to his heart's desire.

Upstairs, Joey switched on the TV just in time to hear the anchor say, "Seto Kaiba will be holding a press conference later today. No word yet on when the conference will take place."

"Aw, man!" Joey groaned. "Looks like we're in for a wait, gang." The Pharaoh sighed and sank down onto the couch. Wordlessly, his friends followed suit. There was nothing to do now but hang around the TV and kill time.

**--fire&ice--**

After several hours (and bags of chips), the gang had learned only that the monster sightings were happening all over the world. They were beginning to think that Kaiba was delaying the conference purely to aggravate them. Finally, an excited anchorman interrupted the weather forecast. "We now bring you live to a Kaiba Corp. press conference, where gaming company president, Seto Kaiba, will make a statement."

The screen switched to show an irritated Kaiba behind a microphone. "We've done extensive testing of our holographic simulation systems. Now, I can confirm without question that these sightings are unrelated to Kaiba Corp. Our state-of-the-art technology is working perfectly."

The screen switched back to the news anchor. "You heard it yourselves. Seto Kaiba claims that his company is not responsible for today's events."

Tristan switched off the TV, looking unconvinced. "He's covering up. Who else has the technology to project monster holograms around the world?"

Tea was less certain. "Unless those monsters out there aren't holographic projections at all."

"Actually, I was just thinking the exact same thing," the Pharaoh admitted. "Perhaps the force I felt in the museum somehow triggered the emergence of these creatures… which could mean that these Duel Monsters are real."

A sudden crash downstairs, accompanied by a cry from Yugi's grandpa, alerted the gang to trouble. Racing downstairs, they found him lying on the ground with merchandise strewn around him.

"Grandpa!" Yugi cried, hurrying to his side. "Are you alright?!"

"Yugi," the old man moaned. "They're gone. They took them."

"Took what, Grandpa?" Yugi asked, concerned with the desperation he saw in his grandfather's eyes.

"Your cards. Your strongest cards." He hung his head in despair.

Alarm shot through Yugi. "The God cards? Someone stole the God cards?"

**--fire&ice--**

The voices of the council members rose unbearably until everyone was talking at once. Their world was in panic, and Destiny was certain that the mortal world was faring no better.

"Silence!" She warned. The council members froze and turned to look at her nervously. "Panic is for the weak-minded. If you are weak-minded, then you do not belong here."

No one moved. Destiny continued.

"The only way the Great Beast could have been awoken is with the Pharaoh's power. But the Pharaoh also created an asset for us. My friends, the Bridge Between the Worlds is, once again, open."

This revelation brought on a new bout of noise, but Destiny's glare silenced them.

"This is what is going to happen," Destiny explained icily. "You will warn all those in this realm to avoid the Great Eye at all costs. And as for me…" She let a small smile curve her lips upward. "I will cross the Bridge Between the Worlds and find the Pharaoh. Only he can put this to rights."

The council exploded into questions and protests, but Destiny was already gone. She had said what needed to be said, and now she was free.

"My Pharaoh," she breathed, a frozen tear sliding down her cheek. "Do you remember me? Your Destiny is finally coming home."

And as she stepped across the Bridge, she did not look back. She only looked forward.

Somewhere, deep within, a tiny flame of hope sputtered to life.


	3. Chapter 2

Prologue

**Chapter Two:**

**Finding the Pharaoh**

"Who did this?" Joey demanded. Not bothering to wait for an answer, he jumped to his feet. "I'll find 'em!" Ignoring the calls and appeals of his friends, he raced out the door. He only made it a few steps before a shower of sparks filled the night air. When they cleared, the three Egyptian Gods loomed over the city.

Yugi, Tristan, and Tea sprinted out of the Game Shop. They didn't make it any farther than Joey did before they slid to a halt, gaping wordlessly up at the Gods. As usual, Joey was the first to regain his ability of speech.

"What kind of knucklehead would steal all three Egyptian God cards and then summon them right in the middle of the city for everyone to see?" He asked in disbelief. Whatever reply he might have received was cut off by the sudden glare of headlights in front of them.

"You blokes want those cards back?" A voice mocked, accompanied by the intimidating rev of a motorcycle engine.

"All you've got to do is get past us," another voice added confidently.

"But it's only fair to warn you; we've been known to fight dirty," a third voice put in.

By now, Yugi's eyes were beginning to adjust to the threatening glare of the motorcycle headlights. He could, at least, tell that their harassers were three helmeted motorcyclists – presumably all male.

"So what's it gonna be, mates?" The first voice finished smugly.

"You don't scare us!" Joey shouted, never one to stay silent. Yugi tried to be a little more eloquent in his response.

"The Egyptian God cards don't belong to you," he pointed out. "Please give them back!"

One of the motorcyclists chuckled darkly. "Sorry to disappoint you, but the serve a new master now… Pharaoh."

Yugi froze in shock. It was impossible. How could these creeps know about the Pharaoh? He wasn't given much time to dwell on the subject.

"If you think you have what it takes to win back your God cards, follow us," the same one ordered. With some unspoken command, the gang turned their motorcycles in unison and sped away.

**--fire&ice--**

Destiny came to with a splitting headache and messy hair. Her clothing hadn't fared much better.

_The trip between the worlds doesn't seem to have been a pleasurable experience for this outfit,_ she mused, examining the stained and torn fabric. Quickly deciding that it was beyond repair, Destiny straightened it as best as she could. She had no skill for domestic things like mending, and conjuring was a waste of time and energy.

_At least these clothes are in style,_ she thought, glancing down at her ripped jeans and dirty T-shirt disdainfully. _I shouldn't stand out too much._

Destiny had kept up with the fashion trends of the mortals over the years, but it had just been a hobby to pass the time. She'd never actually had much hope of going home. It had certainly served her well to be prepared, though.

_No sense in drawing attention to myself so early in the game._

Destiny stood and stretched, running her fingers through her waist-length blonde hair. She winced inwardly as they were met with painful tangles. She felt disgusting, and she was sure that she looked it.

Sudden voices brought her to alertness. She looked around for the first time, taking in her surroundings and mentally berating herself on not doing so earlier.

It seemed that the Bridge had dropped her off on the top of a skyscraper that was still under construction. Despite the fact that it was twilight, Destiny found that she could still see, thanks to the numerous neon signs of the surrounding city. By their fluorescent light, she soon realized that the voices she was hearing were coming from one building over. That building was also under construction, and its roof was at least fifty feet below the one Destiny was on.

As she watched, the owners of the voices emerged onto the roof. It was a gang of four: three guys and a girl. They were too far away for Destiny to tell much more.

"Figures those grease monkeys would lead us to this dump," one of the boys was complaining loudly.

Sudden, sinister laughter had everyone – including Destiny – searching for its owner.

"Who's there?" One of the other guys called imperiously. "Show yourself!" At the sound of his voice, Destiny's heart fluttered anxiously. She drew in a shaky breath, hardly daring to hope. But then came the devastating response…

"I'm right above you, Pharaoh!"

Destiny's knees gave out. Feeling lightheaded, she sat dazedly on the concrete. The forbidden name bubbled to lips and spilled over. "Atem," she murmured, loving the taste of it on her tongue. "Atem! Atem!"

Her soul soared higher with each ecstatic whisper and, crackling merrily, the Flame rose to meet it.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter Two:

**Chapter Three:**

**Orichalcos**

"I'm right above you, Pharaoh!" The voice mocked, somehow managing to make 'Pharaoh' sound like an insult.

Yami's eyes came to rest on the black-robed figure that stood so arrogantly on the top of a nearby crane.

"Is that one of those biker punks?" Tristan asked.

"He's too far away to tell," Tea responded, squinting upwards fruitlessly. The man was at least a hundred feet above them – squinting wasn't going to help much.

And of course it was Joey that yelled, "Coward! Come down here and face us like a man!"

"Very well, then," the figure responded, not the slightest bit intimidated by Joey's bravado. Then, in an act that would have killed any normal person, he leapt off the crane and came hurtling toward the rooftop.

Tea let out a muffled shriek and turned away, certain that the man's death was approaching as quickly as the concrete was. However, defying one of nature's most obvious laws, the guy somehow managed to land lightly on his feet. He straightened casually, as if throwing himself off cranes was something he did on a daily basis.

"I'll make this short," he began, not wasting any time on pleasantries. "I possess something that you want: the three Egyptian God cards. And you possess something that I desire: your soul."

The man reached up and pushed off his hood, giving the gang their first good look at him. The Pharaoh's challenger was a middle-aged man with a monocle. Aside from the black robe, he looked normal enough. He honestly resembled a college professor more closely than he did a thief.

Ever the calm and rational one, Yami advised, "Just hold on. Those cards do not belong to you, and they possess a power far more dangerous than you could ever understand." As he spoke, he made his way to stand across from the man slowly. "I'd suggest you hand them over, before someone gets hurt."

"I'm well aware of their ancient powers," the man responded, brushing off the Pharaoh's warning as if it were just a bothersome fly. "And if you want them back, you're going to have to face me in a duel."

"All right," Yami sighed, resigned. "Just don't say I didn't warn you." He activated his duel disk.

"Your soul is mine!" The other vowed, also activating his duel disk – a long, lethal-looking thing.

"Let's duel."

**--fire&ice--**

The faint, but rapidly approaching sound of motorcycles snapped Destiny out of her trance. Startled and disoriented, her eyes flicked every which way, trying to catch up with several minutes' worth of action.

_Duel Monsters? _Her confused mind registered. _The Pharaoh is dueling?_ Her eyes fell on the black-robed man and everything fell into place. Except…

Her brow furrowed. _How did he get down there so quickly? It should have taken him at least ten minutes to get down from that crane, and I __**know**__ it hasn't been that long!_

She was distracted from her thoughts by the much closer revving of a motorcycle engine. They weren't coming towards her, she realized quickly. Her ears told her they were coming from the building to her left, which was at least twenty feet below her.

_Hang on,_ she thought slowly. _That building's perfect. I could watch from there, but not be too far away if the Pharaoh needs me… and… I could see him from there…_

Even as the thought crossed her mind, the motorcycle engines were cut off. Scarcely thirty seconds later, the three riders came to occupy Destiny's desired location.

"Damn," she muttered. "Looks like I have competition."

She noticed, though, that they were standing in the place with the best lighting. Not too far away, however, the roof was plunged into the darkness of her own skyscraper's shadow…

Sure, it was risky, but **no one **beats Destiny. In a way, this could almost be considered a challenge. A cold smirk graced Destiny's countenance.

_I accept._

Silent and graceful as a predatory cat, she stalked over to where she would make the jump. After taking everything into account – like the distance across and the wind direction – Destiny balanced herself right on the edge of the building. Then, with one last experimental flex of her muscles, she pushed off strongly from the wall.

It was glorious. The night air brushed her face, making her feel wild and unrestrained. At the arc of her leap, she adjusted her eyes downward.

The fall suddenly lost its enjoyment as Destiny realized her mistake. The bikers had decided to park their motorcycles in the darkest place, to protect them from unwanted eyes. It had worked. Destiny hadn't seen them, and now they were speeding towards her at an alarmingly fast rate. She braced for impact.

Destiny's feet hit the side of one of the bikes awkwardly, and her momentum brought them both down. With her feet knocked out from under her, it was Destiny's knees that took the brunt of the impact. Her hands, which had automatically gone out to break her fall, were scraped raw.

She lay there for a moment, stunned. The sound of rapidly approaching feet, however, quickly had her up and running. Adrenaline shot through her system, effectively neutralizing the pain signals her brain was receiving. As quickly and quietly as possible, Destiny put some distance between her and them before sinking into a dark corner.

The men appeared only a second later, but Destiny could barely see them in the gloom. There was a pause and then one of them laughed mockingly.

"Forget to put your kickstand down again, Valon?"

"I did not!" Another protested.

"Shut up," the third growled to both of them. "Fix it." He turned and trudged back to where they had been watching before. The first followed, leaving the owner of the bike – Valon – to push it upright, grumbling. Once he, too, had gone back to the others, Destiny let her tense muscles relax.

Her knees and hands throbbed suddenly. A quiet hiss of swearwords escaped from between her clenched teeth. She was pretty banged up, but at least nothing was broken. _Thank God for that._

Destiny slunk back to the motorcycles as quietly and carefully as she knew how to be. She'd never admit it, but they actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise. From her spot behind them, she had a clear view of the action below, while not being in the bikers' direct line of vision.

The Pharaoh's voice floated up to her – the deep baritone that made her shiver. From her new location, she could see him clearly. Her hungry eyes roamed over him, never getting enough. He looked just as he had five thousand years ago. _But what about his mind?_

A gravelly voice nearby made her tense, but she needn't have worried. "So far, so good. He took the bait. The boss is gonna be pleased."

_These freaks have a boss? Great. Just fucking peachy._

A thrill of foreboding shot through Destiny suddenly. The winds were picking up, and the hairs on the back of her neck began to rise.

"The magic infused within this card existed long before the sands of ancient Egypt were born, Pharaoh!" The cloaked challenger was crying.

Destiny's heart skipped a beat. If he meant was she thought he did, then things were more serious than she had imagined.

_And that would also mean… crap._

Black clouds swirled overhead, emanating a powerful, evil aura. Slowly, a spinning, green circle emerged from them and descended towards the duelists. Destiny was powerless to do anything but watch with sick fascination as the Seal of Orichalcos fixed itself to the playing field.

"What's going on?" Atem was demanding. "Tell me!"

Destiny's eyes widened even further, if that was possible. How could he not know? It wasn't like he had never faced it before!

"Your fate is now sealed!" The robed man laughed, ecstasy in his voice as the Seal overcame him.

The Orichalcos glowed in completion as its host surrendered control to it. The force of its completion had the Pharaoh's companions thrown backwards several feet.

"Guys!" He called, trying to go to them. The Seal, of course, repelled him.

"The Seal of Orichalcos prevents us from exiting and all outsiders from entering its sacred boundaries," the Orichalcos explained through its host. "When the duel is over, only the victor my penetrate its border." He laughed. "But the loser can never leave! His soul will remain, locked inside the Seal for eternity!"

Destiny was trying very hard not to panic by now. She really was. The fact that the Pharaoh seemed to have forgotten something of such vital importance as the Orichalcos was unsettling, to say the least. If he could forget that…

Her heart sank. _Then he's probably forgotten me, too._

"You should know that I am no stranger to ancient magic!" Atem was saying. "Observe! The power of my Millennium Puzzle!"

The Item reacted when called, but – under the Seal's pressure – it quickly retracted back into itself.

"What's this?" The Pharaoh gasped, disbelief on his face.

Destiny moaned quietly and dropped her head into her hands. It was official. Atem had forgotten. And if he had managed to forget **this**, then she was almost positive that he had forgotten everything else as well. Including her.

The Flame choked and sputtered as ice slowly began to reform around it.


	5. Chapter 4

Prologue

**Chapter Four:**

**First Encounters**

"What's this?" Yami gasped as the Seal overpowered his Puzzle.

"The Seal of Orichalcos existed long before your Puzzle!" His opponent laughed scornfully. "Your toy is useless. In here, the advantage is mine. The Orichalcos rests on my side of the field – thus granting me unfathomable power and strengthening every one of my monsters!"

Even as he spoke, the Seal of Orichalcos was appearing on his monsters' foreheads – giving them five hundred extra attack points each. This did not look good.

**--fire&ice--**

Destiny tried not to flinch as the cloaked man's monster slashed Atem's warrior to pieces. She wanted to trust that her Pharaoh knew what he was doing, but she wasn't sure what to think anymore.

It seemed, though, that while he may have lost his memories, he had undoubtedly retained his dueling skills. Despite the unfair advantage of the Orichalcos, Atem somehow managed to summon his Valkurian, the Magna Warrior. Said monster towered impressively over his challenger's monsters with a total of 3500 attack points.

"He'd better think of something quick, or the Pharaoh's gonna kick his bum," Destiny heard Valon say nearby. Her lips twitched into a half-smile before she could stop them.

"Relax, Valon. There's plenty of time left," the other said confidently. Destiny turned to glare at him, her expression stony once more. Unfortunately, he was right. Letting down your guard before the very end is one of the most amateur mistakes a duelist can make.

Cries of encouragement and support from the Pharaoh's friends told Destiny that Atem had successfully attacked with his Valkurian. As she redirected her attention to the duel, the cloaked man laughed in a way that might have sounded jovial if it weren't so creepy.

"I haven't faced a challenge like this in quite some time," he chuckled. "It's actually refreshing."

_Meaning he still thinks he can win_, Destiny thought scornfully. _But if I remember correctly, the only monsters with higher attack points than Valkurian are the Egyptian God cards. This piece of trash couldn't even touch a God card in his wildest dreams._

Destiny was not generally a superstitious person, but if knocking on wood could have prevented what happened next… Hell, bring on the wood!

Because what could the challenger choose to summon next, but Obelisk the Tormentor?

_WHAT? _Destiny's mind screamed in disbelief. _Where the hell did __**he**__ get that card?_

Atem looked no more pleased at the appearance of the God than Destiny was, but he seemed far less surprised about it. A flicker of fear did dart across his face, though, when the Seal of Orichalcos appeared on Obelisk's forehead.

The Pharaoh's panicked look did not go unnoticed by his opponent, who laughed with malicious glee. "That's right, Pharaoh! Your soul is mine! And who better to capture it than your own Egyptian God?"

Atem's eyes narrowed dangerously. The figurative light bulb clicked on over Destiny's head.

_Of course. That man stole the God cards and the Pharaoh is dueling to get them back. Coward._

"Obelisk!" The thief cried. "Fist of Fate!"

The Pharaoh's poor Magna Warrior didn't stand a chance. His challenger chucked darkly as Valkurian was smashed to pieces, but his celebration was cut short as he wobbled suddenly and barely remained upright.

A victorious smirk settled on Destiny's face as the man shook his head several times in an effort to dispel the dizziness. _Pathetic_. And it seemed she wasn't the only one who thought so.

"Looks like someone needs a rest," one of the bikers mocked.

"The boss warned us that the Egyptian God cards and the magic of the Orichalcos might not mix so well, didn't he?" Valon reminded, sounding proud of their master's wisdom.

_Again with the 'boss' thing,_ Destiny noted, glancing over at them. _If I'm right… and I usually am… then I think I know exactly who they're talking about. And he's got these three wrapped securely around his perfect little finger._

"I think that geezer's just getting too old for this!" The other responded.

"That's why we made him duel first, remember?" The one that Destiny guessed was the leader broke in. "To test the Pharaoh's strength."

Destiny's blue-green eyes widened in outrage. _Those bastards! If this is all a test, they probably won't even give Atem back his God cards at the end of the duel! He's risking his soul for no reason!_

She angrily returned her focus to the duel. The challenger was monologuing again, but this time, his words were painfully familiar:

"Pharaoh, the Age of Destruction is here. The earth shall be shrouded in darkness, and your very soul shall fuel the force that devastates mankind!"

Destiny rolled her eyes. "Never heard that one before," she muttered sarcastically under her breath.

"What do you mean by that?" The Pharaoh demanded.

_Atem!_ Destiny moaned inwardly. _Don't encourage him!_

The cloaked stranger grinned, always eager to share his dark prophecies. "A Great Beast is now awakening from its ancient slumber, to complete what it began centuries ago. However, before this Beast can arise, it must absorb enough souls." The man seemed positively delighted by the idea.

"How do you know these things will come to pass?" Atem asked. Destiny clenched her jaw impatiently, wondering when the Pharaoh had gotten so talkative. It appeared she wasn't the only one getting tired of the lack of action.

"Someone's got an awful lot of questions!" Valon called loudly, unconcerned at giving away their positions. Four pairs of eyes turned to stare at the motorcyclists.

"Hey, it's those biker punks!" One of Atem's companions cried in recognition. "Who do you guys think you are?"

"Haven't you been paying attention?" The leader asked. "We're soul collectors. As a matter of fact, I have two unfortunate souls right here in my hand." Destiny turned her head quickly enough to get a glimpse of two unfamiliar, scrawny kids before he put the cards away. "But enough chatting, Pharaoh. Don't you have a duel to lose?"

"Yes, Pharaoh!" The challenger agreed. "Cease your stalling so I can crush you with Obelisk the Tormentor!"

Atem smirked then, and Destiny felt a wave of heat shudder through her cold, aching body. The power of that look was undeniable. At that moment, he looked so much like the proud king he once was that Destiny almost believed they were back in Egypt.

"Obelisk is powerful," Atem conceded, "but not unbeatable! And I intend to prove it!" He drew. After glancing at his card, his smirk became wider. "That card belongs to me, and I'm quite familiar with its strengths… and its weaknesses."

For the first time, Atem's opponent looked concerned. "What weaknesses?"

Atem chuckled. "Why don't I show you?"

It was incredible to watch the Pharaoh in action. He had everything planned out perfectly. It was so beautifully simple. Three attacks later… there went Obelisk.

Atem's friends cheered ecstatically, and Destiny had to forcibly bite the inside of her cheek to keep from doing the same.

"So he got lucky," Valon said weakly. Destiny scoffed.

_It takes more than luck to bring down an Egyptian God!_

Below, the Pharaoh had somehow managed to summon his Dark Magician – on his opponent's turn. Unfortunately, the challenger saved himself by activating several trap cards: which together summoned him seven monsters – only one of which was destroyed by the Dark Magician's attack.

"Hang on," Atem said slowly. "You have six monsters."

Destiny sighed, again wondering how he could have forgotten such important information.

"That's cheatin', pal!" One of the Pharaoh's friends yelled. "Check the rules! Page three of the Duelist Handbook clearly states 'only five monsters per duelist can be in play at once'!"

It was the lead biker that responded. "You'd better get yourself a new rule book, 'cause it sounds like yours is outdated! The Seal of Orichalcos doubles the number of monsters its holder is allowed to have on the field."

Atem was beginning to look worried, and Destiny couldn't blame him. In a fair fight, no one stood a chance against him. This, however, was anything but fair.

It didn't help that he wasted what might have been a useful trap with no results. It was almost cute that he was naïve enough to believe that Dust Tornado could destroy the Seal of Orichalcos. He even looked confused when nothing happened, poor thing.

"Doesn't the Pharaoh realize that the sacred Seal is way too powerful to be destroyed by a measly trap card?" The leader grunted.

_Is that what your boss told you?_ Destiny thought condescendingly. _Figures. The reason it can't be destroyed is because it's not a trap or a magic card. It's in a class all by itself, and the only people who know what it is and have the power to destroy it don't want to!_

Just then, Atem's Dark Magician was destroyed. Dark Magician Girl replaced him, but even she didn't have enough attack points to survive for long.

At this point, Destiny was beginning to think it was hopeless. However, something burning in the Pharaoh's eyes as he stared at his deck kept her from total despair.

"Well, Pharaoh?" The challenger urged impatiently. "Hurry up and make your move so I can destroy you!"

Atem hesitated a moment more. Then, in a swift, deliberate movement, he drew. The burning in his eyes intensified and Destiny felt her tiny flame raging within her in a desperate attempt to match his glow.

"Now I activate… Diffusion Wave Motion!"

"Oh man," one of the bikers murmured. Destiny glanced over and noted with satisfaction that all three seemed to be in a state of shock.

"You're kiddin' me!" Valon exclaimed in disbelief. "Talk about luck of the draw, mates!"

And then Dark Magician Girl was soaring – a beautiful, avenging angel that somehow managed to look graceful even while eradicating her enemies mercilessly.

"The more monsters you have, the more life points you lose!" Atem yelled.

And then there were no more. The duel was over. There was only one more thing to do… the Seal had to take the loser's soul.

"Hand me those cards!" Atem demanded.

"Never!" The man responded, terror written clearly across his face. "The Egyptian God cards are ours!" He turned suddenly and – with a strength no man of his age should have – he threw the God card to the bikers. "Here! Take Obelisk!"

The leader caught it unflinchingly. He seemed neither surprised nor concerned that his ally was about to lose his soul. Speaking of which… The Seal began to shrink rapidly around the man, glowing brilliantly as it absorbed his energy.

"No!" The man was screaming. "This wasn't supposed to happen! Please spare me, Master!"

Destiny snorted, unable to feel pity for the man who had tried to harm her Pharaoh. _As if,_ she thought. _The Seal takes no requests; it only takes souls. It feels no loyalty. It does not understand the concept of devotion. Your soul is as good as gone._

With a final, blinding flash of green, the Seal of Orichalcos dissipated. There was a moment of silence as everyone processed what had just happened. Then…

"Oh well," the leader said, shrugging. "It's his own fault."

"I always thought the old man was cramping our style anyway," the other added.

"Besides, now we know more about Yugi's dueling strategies!" Valon put in.

"Yeah," the leader agreed. "Now let's get out of here."

Destiny might have been disgusted at the bikers' insensitivity if she hadn't been preoccupied with something else.

_Yugi? _She wondered. _That couldn't be… could it?_

She turned to look at the winner of the duel. Said winner was striding forward determinedly, glaring up at the retreating motorcycle gang.

"Stop!" He shouted angrily. "Give me back the God cards!"

The leader turned back to face the enraged Pharaoh. "Sorry, but you didn't hold up your end of the deal, pal," he said sarcastically. "You have to beat all of us, not just one of us. But I'll tell you what: this is for being such a good sport…"

He pulled out the Soul Cards from before. Destiny tensed as she felt the ancient magic stirring around her again while the leader called upon the Orichalcos to release the two souls. He then threw the two cards down to Atem, giving him a glimpse of the victims before they faded.

"Rex Raptor and Weevil Underwood?" He asked, confused.

"I've released your friends' souls as a gift," the leader explained smugly.

"I'll give you a gift!" One of the Pharaoh's friends yelled as he ran up to stand by Atem. "Just come on down here and get it! It's the gift that keeps on giving again and again!" He waved his fists threateningly.

Destiny covered her smile with her hand while Valon laughed outright. "That one's got spunk. He reminds me of myself… only dumber and not nearly as attractive… Toyin' with that guy's gonna be fun. Come on, fellas!" The three bikers turned and sauntered away, ignoring the furious yells of Atem's friend.

Too late, Destiny realized that they were heading towards her to retrieve their bikes. She hesitated tensely. Try to run or play it cool? Common sense or pride?

Pride won, naturally.

Gritting her teeth, Destiny swung her abused legs over one of the motorcycles (**not** the evil one she had run into) and leaned back casually. Then, she could do nothing but hold her breath and wait for the encounter.

The three bikers rounded the curve and froze. Out of the corner of her eye, Destiny saw their faces slacken with surprise. Turning her head with a lazy elegance, she smirked at them superiorly. As expected, Valon was the first to regain his ability of speech.

"And who might you be?" He asked in what he obviously thought was an appealing manner.

"It **might** not be any of your business… Valon," Destiny responded, her tone making it clear who was holding the authority. Three pairs of eyes narrowed, unused to anyone speaking to them in such a way but their boss.

The leader stepped closer in an attempt to look intimidating. "Who are you and why are you sitting on my bike?" He demanded.

Destiny stretched luxuriously and repositioned herself so she could see them better. "I'm sorry," she replied calmly, "but I don't answer to servants. I'm a bit more important than that."

Ah, they were angry now. Even angry enough to abandon their previous caution and approach her recklessly. But that wouldn't do, would it? She had to make them see that she was not one to be messed with.

Slipping off the motorcycle, Destiny drew herself up to her full five feet, eight and a half inches. The bikers stopped warily, and she could see their eyes taking in her whole ragged appearance for the first time.

"Your master," she began, effectively snapping them out of it. "Who is he?"

The one that was neither Valon nor the leader sneered. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

Destiny smiled coldly at him. "Unfortunately, I think I already **do** know." At this point, she paused, unsure whether or not to go through with her idea. On one hand, it would be the perfect welcome: ironic and insulting. On the other… she had not parted with it for five thousand years. Besides, what if it would help the Pharaoh remember?

Destiny continued to hesitate, her fingers toying anxiously with the ring on her left hand. She glanced down at it and the Seal of Orichalcos stared back at her mockingly. In a sudden, angry movement, she ripped the ring from her finger and held it up for them to see.

Gold glinted dully in the faint lighting. The smooth burn of the Seal of Orichalcos on the metal seemed to suck in the mechanical lights of the surrounding city and reflect them back darkly. The bikers stared at it, transfixed.

"See this?" She questioned detachedly. "Give it to your master." She tossed it at the leader, who caught it unerringly.

"Why should I?" He asked. Destiny's eyes narrowed warningly.

"Dartz wouldn't be too happy to have this kept from him," she hissed lowly, enjoying their looks of shock as they realized that she was indeed more important than they had given her credit for.

"You know Master Dartz?" The leader clarified uncertainly.

"We go way back," she responded airily. "Now, about my ring…?"

"I'll give it to him," he said quickly, beginning to fear that Destiny might truly be his superior.

She smiled in satisfaction. "Good. Oh, and one more thing… when you give it to him, tell him… his Destiny is coming for him, and this time he won't escape it. He'll know what it means."

The three nodded hesitantly and looked like they were wondering whether or not it was safe to approach their bikes now. Destiny nodded back in acknowledgement before turning and flouncing away haughtily. Behind her, she soon heard the receding roar of three motorcycle engines. She continued forward painfully, trying to ignore the tightness in her chest as the bikers rode away – bearing with them her ruined engagement ring.

**--fire&ice--**

Yami approached the unconscious man slowly.

"Be careful, Yugi!" Téa pleaded.

"I don't think that guy's getting up anytime soon, Téa," Tristan pointed out heavily. Yami checked for the man's pulse. It was there, but it was disturbingly faint. He glanced around and noticed a single fallen card.

"I have a bad feeling about this," he murmured, picking it up. The man's panicked eyes stared out at him from the card. "It's true. When he lost our duel, his soul was captured by the Seal of Orichalcos."

"But what does that **mean**?" Téa whined. "Why can't he get up?"

"A body on its own cannot function without a soul," an unfamiliar voice stated above them. Standing where the bikers had been not too long before was a blonde girl approximately the same age as the four friends.

Before they could tell anything more about her, the girl leapt gracefully off the building. She landed lightly and then straightened in much the same way that the Pharaoh's previous challenger had. Unlike the man, however, the first thing this girl did was approach Yami and sink into a respectful kneeling position before him.

"My Pharaoh," she breathed, an odd tenderness in her voice. "It has been far too long."

Yami stared down at her, indecision clear upon his face. Was this a trap? Or was this girl truly from his past? She looked modern enough, clad in her ripped T-shirt and jeans… hang on. He looked her over again. Not only were her clothes ripped, but they were also dirty and… bloody? His eyes followed the bloody streaks and he realized that the girl's knees and hands were torn and raw.

"What happened to you?" He asked her hesitantly. She raised her bowed head and blue-green eyes pierced into royal purple. For a moment, both were speechless as Destiny recognized how much she had missed him and Yami tried to figure out why she looked so familiar.

"Th-the Bridge Between the Worlds was rough on me, Pharaoh," she stammered, caught off-guard by how strong her feelings for him remained.

"Bridge Between the Worlds?" He repeated, confused.

Pain burned suddenly in the girl's eyes. "You really don't remember, do you?" It wasn't meant as a question; she already knew the heartbreaking answer.

Yami shook his head ruefully. "All I know is that five thousand years ago, I was a great pharaoh of Egypt. But something went wrong, and I was forced to bind my soul to the Millennium Puzzle – in hopes that someone might someday solve it and release me to finish whatever it was that I couldn't do five thousand years ago."

Destiny's eyes widened. "You don't remember anything?"

"Nothing but that," he admitted. "But I do know that the key to unlocking my memories revolves around the Egyptian God cards and the Tablet of the Pharaoh at the museum."

She nodded slowly. "And that motorcycle gang stole the Egyptian Gods?" He raised an eyebrow at her.

"You were watching?"

Destiny nodded again, but she looked far away. Suddenly, she seemed to snap back into focus decisively. She stood, her head only a half-inch below Yami's. "Your memories have been taken from you for a reason," she stated. "I will help you find them, but they are not for me to tell. All you must know is that I am a friend, and I will protect you. I swear it upon…" She hesitated, unsure whether or not to go on. But Atem was watching her closely; he would notice… Unwillingly, she finished the sentence. "Upon the memories we once shared."

The Pharaoh's eyes pierced into her, searching her innermost soul. She returned his gaze fiercely, feeling a fire roar up within her to burn and mix with Yami's own flames. His eyes widened and she knew he felt it too.

"Will you be coming with us, then?" He asked, silently acknowledging his acceptance of her pledge. Destiny glanced at Yugi's inquisitive friends and sighed. It would be awkward for everyone if she were to tag along.

"No, I will protect you from afar," she answered reluctantly. "I would only attract more trouble for you now. Perhaps there is a way for me to remain close by without inviting the wrong kind of attention. But until I think of it…" She leaned in suddenly and kissed the Pharaoh's tan cheek before spinning around and making her way to the nearby side of the roof. "I will find you again!" She called over her shoulder. And then she threw herself from the rooftop.

The gang rushed to the side of the building, making sure she was okay. Ten stories below them, Destiny waved up casually. Then, without a backward glance, she turned and strode into a shadowy side street – disappearing from their sight. The foursome glanced at each other, perplexed.

"Uh, Yugi?" Joey said suddenly. "You forgot to ask her name."

**--fire&ice--**

Destiny strode aimlessly down the dark road. Now, no longer in the Pharaoh's presence, her flame had dwindled to its original size. She sighed heavily.

_Everything. He's forgotten everything. His family, his friends, his childhood… how can I compete with that? Besides… back then, I was a different girl. I was so playful… so full of life… I was the opposite of his seriousness, and together, we created balance. But that's not the way things are anymore. What if we can never go back to that happy past?_

Destiny stopped and forcibly pushed back her dark thoughts. "I am that which I am supposed to be," she reminded herself harshly. "I am Destiny. He will remember."

Gritting her teeth, she drew herself up and glared at the sky. On top of her disappointment, she was dirty and bloody and fighting back tears. That was not how her reunion with the Pharaoh should have been!

Thunder crashed overhead in response to her chaotic emotions. The heavens opened and cold rain pelted down, washing it all away. Destiny tore her fingers through her hair savagely, feeling the knots and tangles disperse beneath her anger. Ice mingled with the rain, melting on her skin and then refreezing – smooth and cold as silk.

Clean and clothed, Destiny let her rage diminish back to her usual cool superiority. The only proof of the storm's existence rested with the melting ice that gleamed up at her like shards of shattered glass. Flicking her wet tresses over her shoulder, she continued onward purposefully.

_I am Destiny, _she thought, cold fire burning in her eyes._ And I will make him remember._

Fire and ice swirled wildly, side-by-side, until it was impossible to make out one from the other.


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five:**

**Transfer**

The remainder of the night passed by without further excitement for the gang, and they met up in homeroom the next morning as usual.

"Cheer up, Yugi," Joey was saying bracingly. "We'll get your God cards back. Those biker creeps can't hide forever!"

Before Yugi could reply, their homeroom teacher entered the classroom, closely followed by a vaguely familiar blonde girl.

"Class," the teacher called, effectively capturing the attention of his students. "Please allow me to introduce our new transfer student, Destiny Meskhenet."

**--fire&ice--**

_Perhaps this was not my most brilliant idea ever, _Destiny thought as she stared at her reflection in the ladies' room mirror. For one thing, the skirt of her new uniform was ridiculously short! How was she supposed to fight in it? And for another, she looked like a damn prep school bunny! The blouse was practically painted on, and the aforementioned skirt… She shuddered. But the last and most important reason for hating the uniform was…

_Pink!_ She wailed inwardly as she made her way back to the main office. _All the colors in the world to choose from, and they picked __**pink**__!_

"Is anything wrong, dear?" The secretary asked, noticing the pained look on the new student's face. Destiny jumped and plastered on a smile.

"First day nerves," she lied through her teeth. The woman's expression cleared and she nodded sympathetically.

"Would you like me to show you to your homeroom?" She offered.

Destiny glanced down at her schedule, which – coincidentally – she had fixed to be identical to the Pharaoh's. It hadn't been too difficult to achieve. She'd simply 'influenced' one of the schedule coordinators, described the Pharaoh's appearance, and… Welcome to Domino High, Miss Meskhenet.

The coordinator had even managed to score her a uniform (which, in retrospect, might not have been such a good thing), as well as a bag to hold her textbooks. Ah, well. It's the thought that counts.

_Then again, if one takes into account the fact that he was my mind puppet at the time… he probably wasn't thinking anything much._

Destiny's eyes fell on the word 'homeroom', and she followed the line across. Room 328. Where the hell was that?

She raised her eyes and smiled gratefully at the secretary. "That would be awesome."

**--fire&ice--**

The new girl grinned easily at her curious classmates as she was being introduced. According to the teacher, she was transferring from Egypt, though her schooling there had been private.

"Is there anything you'd like to add, Miss Meskhenet?" He asked once he had finished telling the little that he knew about her.

"Sure, why not?" She responded, smiling beguilingly at the class. "Well, as you know, I was born and raised in Egypt. It's an amazing place, but apparently the schools weren't up to my father's standards. I've been home schooled my whole life. Then, this year – out of nowhere – my dad decides that home school is actually 'harmful to my upbringing' because it doesn't let me develop my social skills!" She rolled her eyes exaggeratedly. "I mean, come on! Earth to Dad! I'm a teenage girl. My social skills could own yours any day."

Several people laughed in agreement and many more were smiling.

"So, here I am," Destiny concluded, "sent to Domino City by myself for the sole purpose of improving my social skills." She smiled ruefully at her audience. "How am I doing so far?"

Yugi chuckled, finding himself enjoying the new girl's slightly sarcastic sense of humor. Even the teacher was smiling as he stepped up to take charge once more.

"Thank you for sharing, Miss Meskhenet," he said, nodding to her. "And you're doing very well for your first day in a public school. Now, as for homeroom rules… I allow conversation, but every student must remain in his or her seat. Speaking of which…" He glanced around the room. "Ah, yes. There's an open place behind Miss Gardner. You may sit there."

Téa waved energetically, making Destiny laugh as she came to sit behind her.

"Well," the teacher finished, "I believe that's all. You may go back to whatever you were doing."

Instantly, everyone was talking again, the new girl promptly forgotten by most. Téa turned in her chair and offered Destiny a friendly smile.

"Welcome to Domino High! I'm Téa!"

"Nice to meet you, Téa," Destiny answered, returning the smile warmly.

"So you just moved here from Egypt? That's so cool! I really want to go there someday. Have you ever…"

"Hey!" Joey interrupted indignantly. "You forgot to introduce us!" To Destiny, he added, "The name's Joey Wheeler. You may've heard of me. I'm pretty famous. Runner-up at Duelist Kingdom and 4th place in Battle City; that's me!" Yugi and the others groaned, having heard this multiple times before. "Alright, alright," Joey conceded. "Geez, can't a guy have some fun? Anyway, these other three weirdoes are Ryou Bakura, Tristan Taylor, and Yugi Moto."

Destiny flashed Ryou and Tristan a bright smile before turning to acknowledge Yugi as well. The world seemed to slow down as blue-green eyes met royal purple for the second time in the past twenty-four hours.

**--fire&ice--**

_It's that girl from yesterday!_ Yugi realized in surprise. In fact, now that he looked closer, he wondered why he hadn't noticed it before. The only difference he could see in her appearance was that now she was clean, in a school uniform, and wearing her hair back in a high, neat ponytail. _There's not doubt about it!_ He thought excitedly. _This is the girl from Yami's past!_

Destiny, on the other hand, was more alarmed than excited when she first saw Yugi.

_What trickery is this?_ She hissed inwardly. _That is not the Pharaoh!_

"Hey, Destiny?" The imposter asked, sounding eager. "Aren't you that girl we met yesterday at…"

"The supermarket?" She cut in, training her eyes intensely on Yugi's face in a silent warning. "I wondered where I'd seen you guys before! It was so nice of you to tell me that I'd dropped my wallet. My dad would've killed me if I'd lost it before two days had gone by!"

Yugi blinked, bewildered, but rolled with it. "Um… it wasn't a problem! I'm sure anyone else would have done the same."

"Hang on," Joey said, looking closer at Destiny's face. "Yeah, you do look familiar!"

"Oh, yes, weren't you with Yugi at the supermarket yesterday as well?" She responded, turning her warning glare on him.

"What?" Joey asked, perplexed. Yugi elbowed him discreetly in the side. "Oh – uh – yeah, I remember that!"

"Téa and Tristan were there too, weren't you, guys?" Yugi prodded, sending them pleading looks. They hurried to agree that they were, indeed, there.

"That's cool!" Destiny laughed, her voice practically dripping with sincerity. Poor Ryou looked completely lost. "So," she invented hastily, "what classes do you all have next?"

As expected, Destiny's schedule was identical to Yugi's. Some of the others also shared classes with him, so she'd be seeing them as well. And, of course, the whole gang had to meet up for lunch every day. So she'd get to put up with each and every one of them at the same time for forty-five full minutes – five days a week.

A sarcastic comment on this new type of torture found its way to the tip of her tongue. Luckily, the end of homeroom bell chose that precise moment to ring.

The room was instantly full of scraping chairs and raised voices as everyone rushed simultaneously for the door. The next second, only Yugi and Destiny remained. Even the teacher had conveniently left the room.

Destiny lowered her voice anyway, for caution's sake. "Who are you?" She whispered fiercely while standing and slipping on her pack. "What have you done with the Pharaoh?"

Yugi stared at her blankly. Then, a thought struck him. _That's right!_ He realized. _She's never met me before. She only knows the Pharaoh!_

Smiling at her reassuringly, he answered, "Why don't I let him explain?" There was a blinding flash from the Millennium Puzzle as Yami's spirit overtook Yugi's body.

"My Pharaoh!" Destiny gasped, looking like she wanted to drop to her knees in respect. She refrained from doing so, however, knowing that such an act would look odd in the middle of a classroom.

"Hello again, Destiny," Yami responded calmly. "I see you have met my host."

A terrible comprehension flooded through her. "Host…?" She repeated faintly. _Oh my Ra. I just insulted my Pharaoh's partner._

Atem confirmed her fears with a nod. "Yugi is the one that managed to solve the Millennium Puzzle and set my spirit free. We share his body."

Destiny bowed her head in understanding while silently berating herself for being so foolish.

"Don't worry," the Pharaoh assured her. "Yugi is a very forgiving person."

_Same old Atem, _Destiny thought wryly. _Even after five thousand years, he can still read me as easily as an open scroll._

"I'll let you talk to him now," he finished.

Destiny blinked, caught off-guard by the abrupt dismissal. "Of course, my Pharaoh," she sighed, sorry to see him go so soon. Atem paused, the Millennium Eye already shining on his forehead.

"One more thing, Destiny," he added, sounding amused. "In this time, I am called Yami." Startled, Destiny's eyes snapped up to meet the Pharaoh's. The Millennium Puzzle flashed teasingly, leaving her temporarily blind. By the time she could see again, the eyes she was staring into were no longer the Pharaoh's. Her face flushed in renewed shame. Yugi smiled at her kindly, which only served to make her feel worse.

"Please forgive my accusations, Friend of the Pharaoh," Destiny apologized heavily and respectfully. "They were false and unfounded. I crave your pardon."

Yugi looked slightly taken aback at her formality. "Don't worry about it, Destiny. I should have…" The warning bell cut him off. "Shoot!" He cried. "We're gonna be late! Come on!" He raced out of the classroom. Once again caught off-guard, Destiny followed several beats behind.

Yugi burst into their first period class just as the final bell was ringing. Destiny followed less than a second later, her breath coming in sharp pants.

_Damn! _She thought, respect growing for the younger boy._ He may be tiny, but he makes up for it in speed!_

Up at the front of the room, the teacher scowled at the almost-late arrivals. Destiny quickly jumped in to explain that she was a new student and that Yugi had been kind enough to show her to the room. The teacher nodded and soon Destiny was sinking into her assigned seat, still breathing hard.

_Perhaps I need to work on my endurance a bit…_

**--fire&ice--**

By the time lunch was beginning, Destiny's cheeks hurt from smiling so much and she was ready to scream.

_Why are they all so __**happy**__? _She wondered angrily_. This is __**school**__, the place where sadistic old people shove unwanted knowledge down your throats! What is there to be happy about?_

The Pharaoh's friends seemed nice, at least. Disgustingly perky and dangerously prone to friendship speeches… but nice. They accepted her presence unquestioningly, completely trusting Yugi in his choice of friends. They even went out of their way to make her feel included – like now, for instance.

Lunch: a crazy affair that involves fighting your way through a crowd of hungry teenagers while attempting to retain all of your original possessions. For the poor fools that buy their lunch, it also involves waiting in an insanely long line and then carefully making your way through the frenzy to find a table. The ironic part is, the cafeteria food isn't even worth it.

Destiny, being the solemnly sworn protector of the Pharaoh, was obviously not pleased when she found out that Yugi had to brave this battlefield five days a week. On top of that, he bought all five days. Horrifying.

Destiny was even more displeased when she realized that she couldn't accompany him because she had no money to buy lunch. Influencing a cashier in the middle of a crowded cafeteria was simply too risky, even for her.

Silently placing Yugi's welfare into the hands of Joey and Tristan, Destiny unwillingly allowed herself to be led away by Téa and Ryou. Téa chattered away, single-handedly keeping up a steady stream of conversation as they made their way to an empty table. Ryou occasionally added a comment or two, but Destiny was too anxious to be much company. Only when Yugi had returned from the lunch line unscathed did she finally allow herself to relax her tense muscles.

"Aren't you gonna eat, Destiny?" Joey asked between huge, messy bites of hoagie. She watched, revolted, as both he and Tristan practically inhaled their first sandwiches before falling on their second. It was like watching coyotes ravage the carcass of some furry, woodland creature.

"I think I'm going to be sick," she groaned, turning away. Téa patted her on the back sympathetically.

"Don't worry," she assured. "You get used to it."

"Oh, that's comforting," Destiny muttered, forgetting to be bubbly in her disgust.

"You really should eat something, though, Destiny," Yugi pressed.

"Forgot my lunch and didn't bring money," she lied with a shrug. "Doesn't matter. I'm not hungry…" She cast a glare at Joey and Tristan. "…for some odd reason."

"Well, if you're sure," Yugi conceded before turning to strike up a conversation with Joey. Destiny quickly found herself wishing that she had kept Yugi talking longer; merely listening to Joey attempt to talk and eat at the same time was more nauseating than actually watching him shove whole sandwiches down his throat.

The talk swiftly turned to Duel Monsters, and soon Yugi and Joey were deep in a discussion of strategy and tactics. Téa and Tristan put in their two cents occasionally, but Ryou and Destiny were content simply to listen. The latter found it vaguely amusing that she was actually acquainted with the monsters that they were discussing so animatedly. The truth was, they honestly weren't as interesting as these two were making them out to be. Then again, perhaps that opinion came from knowing them for five thousand years.

Sighing inwardly, Destiny forced a smile onto her aching cheeks and settled in for a long lunch period.

**--fire&ice--**

The rest of the day went by quickly enough, and Destiny soon found herself tagging along with Yugi and his friends after school. She hadn't really been given much of a say in the matter. Yugi had basically told her, "You've got to come meet my grandpa and see his Game Shop" – all the while giving her a not so subtle "It's time to 'fess up" look.

So that was that.

Unfortunately, Ryou couldn't join them because he apparently had a huge chemistry test to study for. This was a harsh blow to Destiny; of all the Pharaoh's friends, Ryou was the most tolerable. It probably had something to do with the fact that he didn't feel an overwhelming need to talk incessantly. Alas, she could do nothing but brood silently on the subject as she followed the others down the street.

"Hey, guys… isn't that Rex Raptor and Weevil Underwood again?" Tristan pointed out, drawing attention to the two short kids arguing up ahead.

"We've been seeing them a lot lately," Téa commented.

"Maybe we should talk to them," Yugi suggested. "I mean, didn't they already have their souls captured? They might know something we don't."

"Good call, Yug'!" Joey said. "Two doses of dweeb coming right up." Without the slightest bit of effort, Joey and Tristan increased their pace and snagged the two boys right off the sidewalk.

"Let me go, you sasquatch!" Weevil hissed, trying to squirm out of Tristan's grasp.

"Yeah, don't make me get all ninja on your butts!" Rex warned.

"I've got an idea, dude," Tristan began threateningly.

"See how far we can toss these nerds?" Joey asked hopefully. Destiny's interest quickened; perhaps something exciting was going to happen today after all.

"Hang on a second, guys, we've still got to find out what happened to them," Yugi reminded in a placating tone. Looking disappointed, Joey and Tristan dropped the two duelists at Yugi's feet roughly. "Alright, now try to remember everything you guys did yesterday," he prompted.

"First, I woke up and went to the bathroom," Rex snapped. Destiny looked away, interest lost.

"He means anything unusual that happened, idiot!" Weevil retorted. "Rex and I were running down the street and we accidentally bumped into this tall guy in a stupid black robe." Yugi and the others exchanged an excited glance. "Then Rex decided to be a smart-aleck and got him mad. The guy said something in a weird language and then he challenged us both to a duel."

Before Weevil could continue, Rex jumped in. "And then we all dueled, and he squashed Weevil like a cockroach." The bug duelist hit Rex on the back of the head.

"Rex was holding us back!" He said angrily. "I would've won, but then the guy played some card called the Seal of something."

Téa gasped and Yugi asked urgently, "The Seal of Orichalcos?"

"Yeah, that was it," Weevil agreed.

"The man in the robe didn't happen to mention anything about a plan to steal the Egyptian God cards, did he?" Yugi questioned, not sounding extremely hopeful. Rex and Weevil froze, staring at him in shock.

"Wait… they're gone?" Rex confirmed. Destiny slowly turned to watch the two out of the corner of her eye, not trusting his gleeful tone.

"He took them," Yugi answered sadly. "Well, he and his gang of thugs did."

"No worries. Yugi'll win 'em back, piece of cake," Joey stated confidently. "In the meantime, let us know if you see any suspicious-looking biker punks."

"We'll tell you right away," Weevil guaranteed. "You can count on us!"

Yugi thanked them and, conversation clearly over, the two groups parted ways.

"Yugi," Destiny said quietly, "are you quite sure it was wise to tell those two that the God cards have been stolen?" He cast her a puzzled look.

"Sure, why not?"

"I don't trust them," she muttered.

"You don't need to worry about those idiots," Joey assured her. Destiny glanced back at the two idiots in question and felt a tingle of unease shoot up her spine.

"Don't underestimate them," she warned, turning away. "Just because they are fools does not mean that they are harmless." Destiny fell silent then, the image of two maniacal faces twisted with delight as they laughed still fresh in her mind.

**--fire&ice--**

The bell on the Game Shop door chimed as Yugi led his friends inside. Grandpa smiled at them fondly from behind the counter, where he had been polishing some Duel Monster cards for a display.

"Hello, kids!" The old man greeted. "How was school?"

Yugi brushed the question off with a vague "fine" before saying, "Grandpa, I'd like you to meet my new friend, Destiny Meskhenet. Destiny, this is my grandpa."

Destiny smiled at him brightly, determined to get on his good side. "Very pleased to meet you, Mr. Motou," she chirped, shaking his hand respectfully.

"Call me Grandpa, Destiny. All the other young ones do," he chuckled, easily won over by her charm. Destiny disguised her triumphant smirk with a shy smile while the others made small talk before politely excusing themselves to Yugi's room. Once inside, the door was shut and everyone found a place to crash.

"So," Yugi began once everyone was settled in. Fixing his gaze on Destiny, he asked, "Care to fill us in?"

She shifted slightly on her lonely loveseat, uncomfortable beneath the curious gazes of his friends. "There's not much to tell, honestly," she murmured. "Last night, I was thinking about how best to protect the Pharaoh. I'd need to be pretty close by… so it just seemed natural to pose as a student so I could be near him while not arousing suspicion."

"So the reason you didn't want to talk about last night was that it would blow your cover?" Joey asked. She nodded to him.

"Precisely."

A small flash of light alerted Destiny to the fact that Yugi and Yami had switched places. The change was done indiscreetly; none of the others noticed.

"Exactly how much of that story you told the school was true, Destiny?" The Pharaoh asked. Destiny's breath caught in her throat at his sudden appearance, and she had to swallow before she could find her voice again.

"None of it was true, my Pharaoh… except for my name," she confessed.

"Destiny Meskhenet…" Yami mused, searching his incomplete memories for clues to this mysterious girl. The girl in question flushed.

"Ah… I meant my first name, Pharaoh," she stammered. "I have never been called Meskhenet…"

"Meskhenet…" Yami repeated. "Of course… I remember now…" An amused smile flickered on his face. "Isn't that a bit redundant?"

Destiny returned the smile, pleased that he had understood her joke. "Only a little, my lord."

"Why do I feel like I'm missing something?" Tristan asked pointedly.

"The word 'meskhenet' is Egyptian for 'destiny'," Yami explained. Destiny nodded in confirmation, and he turned back to her. "I have many questions," he admitted, "but I will only ask one more tonight. Is there any way I could get you to tell me who is responsible for this new madness?"

Destiny lowered her eyes in shame. "You will find out soon enough, my Pharaoh," she whispered miserably. "I will tell you when you need to know, but… until then, there is no need to burden you with the knowledge."

Yami sighed heavily. "I expected as much."

Destiny could feel his eyes on her, but she avoided his gaze. No matter how guilty she felt, she would not give anything away that easily. He had made her a promise, and he was damn well going to keep it. Her right hand unconsciously reached for her left ring finger, but it no longer held a ring to toy with.

"So… where are you staying, Destiny?" Yugi asked after a slightly awkward pause. Resurfacing from her gloomy thoughts, Destiny realized that Atem had once again abruptly left the conversation. He never had been a very social man.

"I've rented a room in an apartment. I forget the name of the place, but it's pretty far from here," she lied airily. "Whenever you decide that my services are not needed, I will retire there for the night."

Yugi nodded amiably and the whole atmosphere of the room seemed to lighten. "Well, then, you probably don't need to be here any longer if you don't want to be," he said. "We don't do much on school nights except homework. Of course, we'd love to have you. Homework's always more fun with friends."

Up until this point, Destiny had honestly forgotten all about the mound of homework her new teachers had dumped on her. Biting back a groan, she realized that it would be completely impossible to influence all of her teachers every single day they assigned homework. Even worse, she hadn't paid the slightest bit of attention during the lessons because she had been too preoccupied searching for possible threats to the Pharaoh's safety.

"Yeah, I could really use your help!" Destiny laughed cheerfully, inwardly loathing her need for assistance. "I haven't even heard of a lot of the stuff they were trying to teach us today. Can any of you explain the purpose of a unit circle?"

"No problem!" Téa said happily. "Math is my favorite subject. Gather 'round everyone, class is in session!"

**--fire&ice--**

"Thanks, everyone, you've officially saved my life!" Destiny exclaimed several hours later. Surprisingly enough, the study session hadn't been that bad. Long, though. It was already eight o'clock, and everyone was more than ready to go home.

"How are you going to get home?" Yugi asked her, concerned. "It's starting to get dark out."

"Oh, I'll just walk," Destiny answered carelessly. "It's not that far away." Everyone slowly turned to look at her, and she immediately realized that she had let something slip.

"I thought you said your apartment was pretty far from here?" Yugi clarified. She winced mentally.

"Um, I meant not that far away from the bus stop! I'll take a bus home!" She explained quickly. He stared at her suspiciously, and she tried to form her expression into one of innocence.

"Destiny, the buses will have stopped running by now…" He pointed out slowly.

_Damn!_ She thought, her wince more pronounced this time.

"What's going on?" Yugi questioned gently. "Why did you lie?"

Destiny met his gaze, resigned to telling the truth. "Friend of the Pharaoh, I have only come to this world twenty-four hours ago. Of those twenty-four hours, fifteen of them have been spent guarding you. How is one supposed to find the gold necessary to live here in less than ten hours?"

Eyes wide with awareness, Yugi verified, "You don't have a place to stay? You don't have any money?"

Destiny shrugged. "Such luxuries are unnecessary. I simply wished to put your mind at ease so you would not feel responsible for me. I can take care of myself well enough without money or lodging."

"No," Yugi declared firmly. "You're staying here. We've got a guest room, and you're not wandering around Domino City in the middle of the night by yourself."

Destiny raised a dubious eyebrow. "You believe that I cannot protect myself?" She inquired critically. "You need not worry yourself over me, Yugi. Besides, is this not why I was lying to you in the first place? You have a compassionate heart – and I respect you for it – but you need not waste your energy on me."

"You're staying here, and that's final," Yugi stated stubbornly. "You're putting your time and effort into protected me and the Pharaoh, so it's the least I can do. Anyway, you'd be disrespecting my hospitality not to accept, and by extension, the Pharaoh himself. Would you really want to dishonor him in such a way?"

Destiny froze, her eyes flicking to Yugi's smug countenance. To question the Pharaoh's honor was to commit treachery against him… and Yugi knew it.

"The name of the Pharaoh is glorious," she defended herself automatically. "No insult to his honor has been made…"

"Good," Yugi interrupted. "Then you will permit the Pharaoh to provide you with room and repast for as long as your services are required."

"Where did you learn to be so formal, young one?" Destiny murmured, mind racing as she searched for a loophole in this arrangement. There wasn't one; she had been well and truly trapped. Seeing the defeat in her eyes, a grin of victory stretched across Yugi's face.

"Come on," he placated. "I'll show you to your room before dinner." Unable to refuse, Destiny silently followed the boy upstairs.

**--fire&ice--**

"We've located the Pharaoh, master," Rafiel reported. "Unfortunately, we weren't able to capture his soul."

"I didn't expect you to defeat him this soon," the hooded figure kneeling before the ancient, stone ritual site remarked. "We've just begun."

"But you know me, master," the burly blond continued, taking a sturdy case from his pocket. "I never come back empty handed." Dartz stood and turned to face his advancing servant. Unhitching the box, Rafiel revealed its contents.

"Excellent," Dartz murmured as he lifted the three cards from the case. "The Egyptian Gods. At long last… I have waited an eternity to hold their power in my hands." The Orichalcos flared within the dark Priest, feeding on his greed and causing the Gods to react in protest. Dartz stared down at the cards, hunger evident in his gaze. "I finally possess the supreme force necessary to awaken the Great Beast… Soon, we shall rid the earth of mankind and rebuild civilization as it once was…" The deep, aching hunger had begun to leak into his voice, but he found that he no longer cared to hide it.

With slow, deliberate movements, Dartz placed each card into their required place. Kneeling once again before the stone altar, he intoned, "Servants of the Orichalcos, please hear my call. I offer thee the Gods of Egypt!" The torches on the walls crackled malevolently, throwing shadows across the great hall. "Use their divine might to unlock the sacred chamber of the Great Beast. Awaken him from his ancient slumber by accepting my offering!"

The God cards burst into a dazzling display of color as the Orichalcos tested them. With an explosion of static electricity, the tribute was deemed satisfactory. The Gods were powerless to resist as their energies were redirected and joined together, magnifying each other's indefinitely.

Strength from the Orichalcos mixed with the power of the Egyptian Gods, a stream of infinite chaos and destruction. As if with a mind of its own, this unstoppable force then shot itself upward faster than the speed of light. It tore mercilessly through the thin night sky, penetrating deep within the parallel world. The Bridge Between the Worlds widened slowly, sending faint flashes of multicolored light from the other world dancing across the heavens.

"The time is coming, my friends," Dartz announced, standing victoriously. "Finally, after ten thousand years, the Great Leviathan shall rise again. When the passageway between the parallel worlds widens enough to let the Great Beast through, we shall declare war on mankind and all its evils! You have served me well. You may retire to your rooms for the night."

The three bikers hesitated, exchanging glances. "Um, master?" Rafiel faltered. "There's one more thing…"

Suspicious of the odd tone in which his servant spoke, Dartz turned around slowly. "What is it?"

Rafiel swallowed and continued, "Last night, master… after the duel with the Pharaoh… we met someone. She claimed to know you."

Dartz narrowed his eyes. "And you believed her? She was probably working for the Pharaoh, you fool! What did you tell her?"

"We didn't tell her anything, boss, I swear!" Rafiel hastened to explain. "We didn't believe her at first either. But then she gave us this…" From his pocket, he drew out something small and gold. "She told us to give it to you."

Dartz impatiently took the object, rolling it over in his hands. It was a thick, golden ring. There was nothing remotely special about it. Then, the top of it came into view and a sickening jolt swept through him.

_It cannot be._

From somewhere far away, Dartz heard Rafiel adding, "I almost forgot. The girl said to give you a message. It was something like 'your destiny is coming for you' and 'this time you won't escape it' or something. She knew your name, too, master. And…"

"Enough!" Dartz bit out, every muscle in his body tense with shock and denial. "Get out of my sight!" His three servants scattered, fearful that his emotions would soon be taken out on them.

Dartz stared down at the golden ring, lying there so innocently in the palm of his hand. How could she possibly be back? At such a convenient time, too… Surely it was all a trap; a hoax created by the Pharaoh to make him hesitate when he should be striking… But that couldn't be true – the Pharaoh had no memory of his past! And besides, the ring had belonged to her. She had been wearing it when he had trapped her and sent her away.

Which left only one possibility: somehow, against all odds, Destiny had escaped from his imposed prison. And she was coming for him. The only real question was when.

**--fire&ice--**

Destiny stared silently out the guest room window at the shadowy street below. She was edgy, all senses on hyper alert, though no threat had been detected.

If Dartz didn't know by now, then he would know soon. She could see it clearly in her mind's eye… First, the shock that would cross his face, followed shortly by a stubborn denial… and then the fury would set in… and, finally, the fear.

A cold smile touched the corners of Destiny's lips. The fear was always her favorite part. So invigorating – intoxicating, really – the way it charged the air and sent her heart racing…

Destiny's nerves tingled with excitement as she imagined to approaching confrontation. She would wait a few days first, of course… let him get good and anxious, before casually stopping by…

She smirked, certain he would hate that. She knew everything about him, but he… He didn't know her at all anymore. No more predicting her moves; calling her bluffs…

Things were different this time… and he'd be the first to find out.

_Ice burned her insides with its touch as weary flames retreated for the time being to recoup…_

**--fire&ice--**


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six:**

**Magic and Prophecy**

The next day was – by all accounts – boring. No one could concentrate, and school seemed to drag on forever. Destiny's only consolation was the fact that it was Friday – no school tomorrow!

The final bell rang at last and the gang met up by Yugi's locker, as usual. "So, what do you guys wanna do?" Joey asked as they left school grounds and headed down the street.

"We could always drop off our stuff at my place and head down to the arcade," suggested Yugi.

"I like that idea," Téa agreed. "It would be nice to have some semblance of normality after all of the weird things that have been happening lately."

"What kind of weird things?" Destiny asked sharply, this being the first she'd heard of it.

"First, things got freaky at the museum," Tristan began. "Then monsters started appearing around the world, and now a gang of bikers is stealing people's souls with a Duel Monsters card! Not to mention the fact that you appeared out of nowhere, claiming to be from the Pharaoh's past, right in the middle of everything else that's been going on."

Destiny did not miss the distrustful tone in his voice, but she refrained from commenting on it. '_He has a right to be suspicious,' _she reflected. '_It does seem like our meeting was too well timed to be a coincidence.'_

"I'm thinking all of those things have something to do with one another," Téa put in, accurately voicing Destiny's thoughts.

"Yeah, really?" Joey asked sarcastically. "I'm thinking, why does all this weird stuff always happen to us?" He looked around for confirmation. "You gotta admit, it's true!"

Tristan and Téa nodded in solemn affirmation. Destiny started to ask Yugi exactly what had happened at the museum, but a shrill cry cut her off.

"Hey, Yugi!" A small blonde girl barreled through the crowd and threw herself into Yugi's arms.

"Uh, hi… you…" He returned awkwardly.

"Oh no," the girl whined. "Don't tell me you forgot about me now that you're a big-time champion duelist!"

"Uh…" Yugi stammered, obviously still at a loss.

"Yugi, do you have any idea who this is?" Téa whispered into the embarrassed teen's ear.

"Let's see," the girl interrupted, pulling back and fishing a Duel Monsters card out of her pocket. "This card should ring a bell. You **did** give it to me."

Destiny glanced at the card, identifying it at once: the Ties of Friendship. Curious, she studied the faces of her friends to see if they had recognized it as well. A couple of seconds later, Yugi let out a gasp.

"Rebecca!"

The name meant nothing to Destiny, but it obviously triggered bad memories for Joey. "Aw man!" He yelled, backing away. "You're that brat!"

"Hi!" answered Rebecca smugly. There was a pause as both groups stared at each other.

"You look different," Joey said finally. "Did you get a haircut or something?"

"No, she traded in her teddy bear for glasses," Tristan pointed out.

"I don't need a teddy bear anymore," Rebecca explained, latching firmly onto Yugi's arm. "Because now I have a **boyfriend** to protect me!"

Destiny had to bite her lip to keep from laughing at the expression on Yugi's face, while Téa just looked offended. "Excuse me?" She snapped territorially. "A boyfriend?" Her reaction was not lost on Destiny, who glanced at her searchingly.

'_Does Téa like Yugi as more than a friend?' _She wondered. '_Interesting…'_

"And yet another weird event to add to the list!" Joey commented, apparently not noticing anything weird about Téa.

"But this one tops 'em all," Tristan added, shaking his head. "Probably best if we stay out of it."

"Come on!" Rebecca cooed to Yugi, ignorant of Téa's jealous gaze burning into her back. "My grandpa really wants to see you!"

Yugi looked bemused. "Professor Hawkins wants to see me?"

"Uh huh!" chirped Rebecca. "He's waiting for us at the Domino Museum. Let's **go**, Yugi!"

"Well, it looks like we're not going to the arcade after all, guys," he sighed apologetically.

"It's all right, Yug'," Joey said with a shrug. "Maybe the professor has some answers to all the crazy stuff that's been happening lately."

A feeling of hopefulness washed over the group, and they started off again with a new spring in their steps. Lengthening her strides, Destiny quickly caught up to Yugi, intent upon finishing the question that she had tried to ask earlier. She had barely gotten two words in, however, before Rebecca drowned out her words with meaningless chatter.

Destiny's eyes narrowed, and the air around the gang became frigid as her anger took control. "Excuse me," she purred, her voice low and dangerous. "I believe you are interrupting." Rebecca met her gaze defiantly, but found herself struck dumb before Destiny's ice-cold radiance. The small girl's mouth gaped soundlessly, and Destiny smiled. "I like you better this way," she breathed frostily.

The staring contest lasted a moment longer: petrified blue vs. icy cyan. Finally, Destiny turned away and the cloud of cold air dispersed. In a light, normal tone, she asked, "What happened at the museum? And what is this about monsters appearing around the world?"

As if her words had broken the spell, everyone relaxed and shook out the lingering coldness from their limbs. Yugi swallowed audibly before answering, still stunned by Destiny's intimidating power… and also by the way his Millennium Puzzle had mysteriously been spared the attack, remaining warm the entire time.

Deciding to dwell on it later, Yugi put the latest weird event out of mind and began to fill his strange protector in on the earlier weird events that she had missed.

Rebecca did not interrupt once.

**---fire&ice---**

Ten minutes later, the gang was making its way into the museum just as Yugi finished his story. Though she had already guessed everything that Yugi had told her, Destiny was anything but pleased with the apparent extent of Dartz's power. It seemed that he had not been idle in the time that she had been away… But neither had she.

'_I need to think.'_

Rebecca took the lead, and Destiny silently fell back to walk with Téa. Encouraged by the withdrawal of her supposed "rival", Rebecca once again attached herself to Yugi's arm. "This way!" She cried, tugging him into the giant exhibit on their left. The rest of the group filed in after them, and nobody was surprised to see the Tablet of the Pharaoh staring back at them from across the room.

The exhibit was empty, apart from two older gentlemen who were examining the Tablet closely. "Grandpa! Professor Hawkins!" Yugi called. The men turned, and Destiny recognized that one of them was indeed Yugi's grandpa. The other was tall and dignified with his white suit and silver hair.

"Yugi Moto!" The professor exclaimed warmly. "You're just the person I need to see. I have a theory that all of these monster sightings have something to do with you."

Destiny couldn't believe that everyone still managed to look surprised after all the stuff that had happened to them. '_Is putting two and two together too much to ask?'_

Professor Hawkins beckoned the group over to the crystal-encrusted Tablet. "Seeing these carvings confirms what I suspected all along, Yugi! You share a common bond with a five thousand year old pharaoh. Do you know what this means?"

"Yeah," Yugi sighed. "That my life's more confusing than most kids'."

The professor chuckled. "Perhaps I can shed more light on the subject. I've spent the latter part of my career studying Duel Monsters. It started as more than a game…"

Destiny stopped listening, barely suppressing an impatient sigh. How many times would she be forced to hear all of this stuff that she already knew?

Turning her attention to the glittering Tablet of the Pharaoh, Destiny cautiously slid closer to it. The others were too involved in the professor's story to notice. With light, wary hands, Destiny pressed her palms to the safety glass. Her skin smarted and burned against the freezing window.

'_That isn't crystal,'_ she realized at once. Destiny studied the Tablet's dazzling coat more closely, trying to recognize the substance… '_It's ice.'_

Dartz's magic throbbed beneath her fingertips. Guarded but curious, Destiny called upon her own power and gently pushed a tendril of energy through the glass.

Ice met ice.

Surprised by the resistance, Destiny sent more energy through. The pane trembled beneath her hands, caught in the middle of a silent war. Neither side put out their full strength, but Destiny was confident that she could overpower it if she really wanted to.

However, the energy that was resisting her did not belong to Dartz. In fact, it almost felt like this foreign power was trying to purposely weaken **itself** and give Destiny the upper hand! From what she had heard, this energy most likely belonged to that of the stolen Egyptian God cards.

Unfortunately, that meant that Destiny was still clueless about Dartz's own power levels. He had been strong enough to bind the magic of the Egyptian Gods to make it work for him, but he had unattached it from himself once the deed was done. That could mean one of three things. Either he didn't have enough energy to sustain the spell manually, stealing the Gods' energy wasn't extremely important, or he wanted to conserve his remaining energy for something else.

Destiny didn't dare underestimate Dartz, so she eliminated the first immediately. As for stealing the energy of the Egyptian Gods – that was a notable feat in anyone's book, so the second couldn't be right. Therefore, the third was the most logical conclusion.

'_And what has Dartz been spending all his energy on for the past ten thousand years? Aside from trying to summon Leviathan and destroy humanity, nothing much. He is a man of limited interests.'_

The professor's words cut suddenly through her thoughts, jolting her unpleasantly back to the present. "Have any of you ever heard of the lost city of Atlantis?"

Destiny froze, heart aching as long-forgotten feelings surfaced for the first time in several thousand years. Fire raced through her veins and leaped, unbidden, to her fingertips. With a high-pitched crack, the window shattered at the sudden change in temperature.

Reacting instantaneously, Destiny shoved Yugi and Grandpa away from the falling glass, shielding them from the jagged shards with her own body. It was over in a moment, and she slowly relaxed her protective stance. Doing a quick assessment of the situation, she was relieved to realize that – since Yugi and his grandfather had been standing closest to the Tablet – no one else had been hurt.

"Are you alright, Yugi?" Téa asked, hurrying over to her shaken friend.

"Y-yeah," he stammered, still looking shocked. "Destiny reacted really quickly. You okay, Grandpa?"

"I'm fine," the old man answered. "Though I don't think my heart can take many more scares like that."

"What just happened, anyway?" Joey asked, shivering. "And why is it so cold all of a sudden?"

"I'm afraid that was my doing," Destiny said with a shrug, mind already racing to find a cover up story. "But I am not completely to blame. I was told that the Tablet of the Pharaoh was encased with crystal. Unfortunately, what truly surrounds that stone is ice."

"Remarkable," Professor Hawkins breathed, crunching over the broken glass to examine the Tablet more closely.

"The window was brittle with cold," Destiny continued calmly. "I touched it, and it cracked. That's all there is to it."

"Yes," the professor mumbled vaguely. "How extraordinary…" The older man looked like he would have very much enjoyed continuing his study, but Destiny would have none of it.

"If it pleases you, Professor Hawkins," she said pointedly, "I would very much like to hear the rest of your story."

"What?" He asked, dragging himself unwillingly away from his musings. "Oh. Yes, of course. Ah… where was I?"

"I believe you had just mentioned something about a lost city," she answered delicately.

The professor lit up. "Yes, Atlantis!" He agreed enthusiastically. "Have any of you heard of it?"

"I read a great book about it once," offered Téa.

"What? You nerd!" Tristan groaned. Joey nodded in agreement, and Professor Hawkins chuckled before quickly becoming serious again.

"In my latest expedition," he explained, "I may have discovered that very city: an underwater world that existed long before ancient Egypt! But what really puzzled me were the carvings I saw on the walls. Take a look."

He handed over a short stack of photographs, and Yugi eagerly started flipping through them. Destiny took one glance and had to shut her eyes against the wave of homesickness that threatened to overwhelm her. She remembered that temple. How could she not? As a child, she could recall visiting it many times.

"No way!" Yugi gasped, pulling her back to the situation at hand. "Duel Monsters!"

"Precisely!" Professor Hawkins crowed. "So these monsters didn't originate in Egypt – they existed over ten thousand years ago in what I believe to be the legendary city of Atlantis!"

Destiny started to nod in approval of the professor's conclusion, but stopped herself just in time. She didn't want anyone tracing her back to Atlantis yet.

"Do you know what this means?" Grandpa cried. "Your discovery could completely rewrite history!"

The professor sighed. "Unfortunately, there's still quite a bit I don't know."

"Hey, look at this!" Yugi exclaimed, holding up one of the pictures. "It looks like the monsters are attacking the city."

"If you look at the picture more closely, you'll notice that only some of the monsters are destroying the city," corrected Professor Hawkins.

"You're right… So if only some of these monsters seem to be evil…" Yugi looked up hopefully. "Does that mean the other monsters are good?"

"I haven't collected enough evidence to confirm that," the professor admitted gravely. "But I believe there's a parallel world of monsters that exists alongside our world, and throughout history, certain humans have been able to release these monsters. Some of them have helped mankind; others have tried to destroy it."

'_This professor… he knows far more than I have given him credit for_,' Destiny decided, keeping her face carefully blank. Tristan, apparently, did not agree with her.

"Gimme a break!" The brown-haired teen grumbled, rubbing his head in irritation. "You nutty professor!"

Rebecca promptly shut him up with a smartly placed kick to the shin.

"Ouch!" Tristan yelped, jumping away from the infuriated girl on his uninjured leg. "The pain!"

"Good!" Rebecca snapped fiercely. "Cause that's my grandfather you're talking about! You got that, punk? Anyone who messes with him, messes with me! So keep your comments to yourself!"

Destiny suppressed a smile at the alarmed look on Tristan's face, feeling new respect for the girl. Loyalty and courage in the defense of your loved ones were good traits to have. She sighed, thoughts drifting away again. '_If only, if only…'_

"Don't worry, I'm no stranger to ridicule," Professor Hawkins assured, trying to smooth over the sticky situation. "Besides, it **is** a bit of a far-fetched theory."

"But it's true!" Rebecca insisted. The old man smiled fondly down at his granddaughter.

Then, Joey surprised everyone by saying, "I believe you, professor."

"That figures," Tristan muttered darkly, rubbing his bruised shin.

Joey ignored him, intent upon explaining his reasoning. "After all the weird stuff we've been through, I'd believe anything. Like the time I…"

As Joey trailed off into several long anecdotes, Destiny turned back to the Tablet of the Pharaoh. The unnatural ice sparkled back at her sinisterly. If she acted quickly enough, he wouldn't even know she was there. '_Magic always leaves traces…'_

Destiny cast a quick glance around at her companions. Finding them all absorbed in their meaningless conversations, she swiftly reached out her hand and touched a single finger to the ice. She pulled it back in immediately, the whole movement too quick and smooth to alert the others. A smug smile flitted across the girl's lips. It wasn't much, but she had a lead. She would begin her search there. Even better, she was almost certain that she had acted too quickly to be traced herself.

As if in response to Destiny's thoughts, the power level in the room spiked suddenly as the presence of the Orichalcos flooded through it. For one awful second, Destiny thought he had found her. Then she noticed the glowing pendant in Yugi's hand.

"The guys we dueled against last night left it behind," the small teen was explaining to the professor. Dread quickly overcame relief as Destiny stared at the Orichalcos fragment lying so innocently in Yugi's palm. It was small – not that size meant anything – and a bright, poisonous green.

"May I see it?" Professor Hawkins asked, already reaching for the stone. Destiny froze as she realized the situation that she was in. If she touched or damaged the pendant in any way, Dartz would know her whereabouts at once. But if she warned them verbally, they would undoubtedly become suspicious…

With a heavy heart, Destiny watched the stone change hands in silence. Yugi obviously hasn't been affected by its darkness because of his pure, childlike nature. It seemed too much to ask that the professor be the same. However, to Destiny's immense surprise, there was no desire in Professor Hawkins' eyes as he studied the glowing fragment.

'_But is that a flicker of recognition I see… ?'_

Her wariness increased when the professor asked to take the fragment back to his lab to examine it more closely. Precious few nowadays could recognize the Orichalcos for what it was, and nobody up to any good would ask to be near it for any longer than necessary.

Just as Destiny was settling into the perspective of Professor Hawkins being one of _them_, he told the group wonderingly, "I believe I have come across this stone before… in Atlantis!"

She froze, shame falling over her like a thick, prickly blanket. '_Of course. That stone was all over Atlantis by the end of Dartz's rule. But… I must be quick to judge. It may save the Pharaoh's life someday. It cannot be helped.'_

Resigned but no longer suspicious, Destiny allowed her muscles to slacken again… only to tense right back up again when the professor's wristwatch chimed loudly.

"How time flies," Professor Hawkins sighed, turning off the alarm regretfully. "I'm afraid we must take our leave. Our plane takes off in a few hours, and you know how tight airport security has become lately… If I learn anything more about the Duel Monster sightings or Atlantis, I'll give you a call. And I'll be sure to study this stone as soon as I get back to my lab. Thank you very much for your help – all of you."

The gang returned his sentiments, grateful for any sort of clue in this strange new mystery, and accompanied him outside to his waiting car. Destiny lingered just long enough to inform the museum's manager of the broken glass in the Egyptian exhibit. By the time she had caught up, the SUV was pulling away – leaving behind a blushing Yugi and a seething Téa. Destiny decided that she didn't want to know.

"_**Please! Help me!"**_

The cry came out of nowhere, startling a low hiss out of Destiny as she recognized the voice. '_Dark Magician Girl! Her voice is echoing across the Bridge Between the Worlds… what's happening in the Dominion of the Beasts?'_

"You alright there, Yug'?" Joey asked suddenly.

"Weird," the teen answered, sounding concerned. "Did you hear someone call for help just now?"

Destiny's head whipped around to stare at him in shock. '_This boy… he holds many hidden talents! Unless… perhaps the Millennium Puzzle allowed him to tap across the Bridge subconsciously?'_

"Nah, this place is a ghost town," Joey answered, glancing around the deserted parking lot. "Must've been your imagination."

"Guess so," Yugi agreed, though he sounded unsure.

"C'mon, it's been an exhausting day, guys," Joey said, yawning widely. "Let's go catch some Z's."

"Easy for you to say," Téa complained. "After that story, it's gonna be nightmare central for me."

Still tense and preoccupied with all the excitement of late, Destiny felt like the group was moving in slow motion as it plodded unhurriedly home. Upon arrival (and after making the necessary excuses to Yugi and his grandpa), she finally escaped to her room and locked the door.

Without wasting a minute, she located the Bridge Between the Worlds and brought it to the front of her mind. Dread filling her at what she would find on the other side, Destiny gritted her teeth and forced herself across.

**---fire&ice---**

She found herself in the main hall, drowning once again in the incessant arguing of the council members. At the sight of her, the din only got louder. Rubbing her temples in an uncharacteristic display of irritation, she declared, "Silence!"

The hall grew still.

"Dark Magician Girl," Destiny said quietly. The girl separated herself from the crowd and came to stand before her. "Your voice echoed across the Bridge Between the Worlds not long ago, calling for help. What has happened?"

"The Great Beast is gaining strength rapidly, my lady!" Dark Magician Girl explained, distress clear in her voice. "It has begun pulling us in, one by one, of its own volition! Those of us that can fly are afraid to do so, lest we should be sucked in next."

Destiny sighed heavily. "I see. I had hoped that we would have more time, but…" Trailing off, she absently started pacing around the hall as she racked her brains for a solution.

"My lady?" Dark Magician Girl asked softly. "If you don't mind my asking… did you find the Pharaoh?"

"Yes," Destiny answered tersely, continuing to pace. Around her, she sensed the mood of the room shift from despair to tentative hope and scoffed inwardly. Yes, the Pharaoh was important, but he wasn't everything. Even counting herself into the equation, she still didn't like the odds.

Coming to a halt, Destiny found herself beside one of Tumias's ice-covered feet and leaned against it wearily. Staring up at the frozen dragon, she thought forlornly, '_We need you, Tumias… We'll never defeat the Great Beast without you. Will you never wake up?'_

With a sigh, Destiny was moving to push herself back up again when the ice suddenly crackled with electricity beneath her palms. A tide of foreign thoughts and emotions accompanied the sting, overwhelming her with information. Disconnected images of people, places, and objects flooded her mind. Through Tumias's eyes – for she could recognize that it was his heartbreakingly familiar consciousness that was directing the exchange – it was possible to feel the subtle connection that each thought had with another and make sense out of the confusing jumble.

And then, quick as the siege had started, it was over and she felt Tumias's consciousness withdraw. Trembling, she removed her hand from the ice (which had returned to its proper temperature) and backed away a few steps.

Pulling together her scattered thoughts, Destiny managed to announce, "Tumias has spoken!" For the first time in 5000 years, the entire council fell silent of its own accord. This lasted a whopping 2.7 seconds, before everyone started talking at once.

"What did he say?" Someone cried.

"What does it mean?"

"Is there hope after all?"

"Will he help us?"

The din rose to a crescendo as everyone raised their own voices to be heard over the others. Finally, Destiny had no choice but to summon forth her power and send icy winds sweeping through the hall. The temperature dropped sharply, and the council members slowly fell silent once again.

Destiny restarted carefully. "Tumias's ways of communicating are very different from that which I am accustomed to. I cannot be entirely certain of how he meant for me to interpret his message, but…" She pressed her fingertips to her temples, trying frantically to make sense out of what she had experienced. "The way I see it…" She continued slowly, buying herself a little time. But what did it mean?

There had been several parts to the message – of this, she was sure. But the main, underlying theme of it all had definitely been the Prophecy. And of the three parts to the message, there had been one part that was most urgently impressed upon her. The simplified version of this part was composed of four ideas: the Prophecy, love, Destiny, and Tumias's own fuzzy imagining of himself being freed from the ice.

The last idea was self-explanatory, and the first was easy enough to understand. The prophecy stated that three warriors would one day release the frozen dragons, and this would signify the beginning of the final battle against the Great Beast. Destiny would know – she had been the one to foresee it.

What she didn't understand was how the mixed ideas of love and herself had anything to do with the other two ideas. '_What, is my __**love**__ going to set Tumias free?'_ She thought scornfully. But the double connotation of the words 'my love' made her pause. She repeated the words in her mind again, this time without sarcasm. A mental picture of the Pharaoh flashed before her eyes, and everything suddenly fit together.

"Dark Magician Girl!" She exclaimed, whirling around to seek out her friend from the throng of monsters waiting for her to speak.

"My lady?" The girl flew forward swiftly, anxious.

"I need you to do something for me."

"Anything, lady," Dark Magician Girl responded, eyes wide.

"When your cry for help echoed across the Bridge not too long ago, not only I, but the Pharaoh himself heard it. I want you to call for help again – but this time, _entreat the Pharaoh to come to you_. I need you to lead his mind across the Bridge – _carefully!_ – and I need you to explain the Prophecy to him. I believe… that he is the one who can set Tumias free from the ice. Can you do this for me?"

"I can, my lady," she answered, before questioning timidly, "But… surely you would be better for the task, lady? After all, he knows you… And with your history together, surely he'd follow…?"

Destiny sighed again, wishing this were the case. "I am afraid… that 5000 years of sleep within the Millennium Puzzle have robbed the Pharaoh of his memories. He knows practically nothing of his time as Pharaoh…" She quickly changed the subject, not wanting to alarm the Council further. "But he knows you, Dark Magician Girl. He _trusts_ you. That is why it must be you to go."

Pink with pleasure at the idea of being trusted by her beloved Pharaoh, Dark Magician Girl nodded resolutely. "Then I will go, my lady. Of course I will."

"Then go _now_, before Dartz gets an even greater advantage!" Destiny ordered.

Without another word, the girl disappeared across the Bridge to fetch the Pharaoh's soul. Destiny followed slowly, landing on her guest bed back in the human realm far more gracefully than her first landing had been. Sighing, she rose and went to the window. Even now, she could hear the Dark Magician Girl calling desperately for the Pharaoh. Leaning her head against the cool glass, she tried to block out the pain and jealousy within her. After all, Dark Magician Girl was right – it should have been _her_ by the Pharaoh's side right now.

**---fire&ice---**

Dartz paced agitatedly around the ancient temple, silently cursing Destiny's name in all of the many languages he was fluent in. She knew he hated waiting, and that was exactly why she was prolonging their reunion in such an irritating manner. She had even sent him the very ring he had ruined, for no other purpose than to announce her approaching visit. Damn her!

'_Enough is enough!'_ Dartz decided angrily. _'If she insists upon playing these foolish games, then she must be punished like the petulant child she is. I may not be able to hurt her, but I'm sure any damage to the Pharaoh or his host will bring her to me before long. She is the same hotheaded child she has always been, after all.'_

With slow, deliberate movements, Dartz placed each God card into its required place. Kneeling before the stone altar, he intoned, "Servants of the Orichalcos, please hear my call. I offer thee the Gods of Egypt!" The torches on the walls crackled malevolently, throwing shadows across the great hall. "Use their divine might to unlock the sacred chamber of the Great Beast. Awaken him from his ancient slumber by accepting my offering!"

The God cards burst into a dazzling display of color as the Orichalcos tested them. With an explosion of static electricity, the tribute was deemed satisfactory. The Gods were powerless to resist as their energies were redirected and joined together, magnifying each other's indefinitely.

Strength from the Orichalcos mixed with the power of the Egyptian Gods, a stream of infinite chaos and destruction. As if with a mind of its own, this unstoppable force then shot itself upward faster than the speed of light. It tore mercilessly through the thin night sky, penetrating deep within the parallel world. The Bridge Between the Worlds widened slowly, sending faint flashes of multicolored light from the other world dancing across the heavens.

"The time is here at last," Dartz murmured to himself, victorious. "Finally, after ten thousand years, the Great Leviathan shall rise again.

**---fire&ice---**

Destiny was startled out of her depressed state by a bright light outside her window. She recognized the flickering multicolored lights at once, and dread fell upon her heavily. But all she could do was pray that she had been right about the Prophecy. Only Tumias could save this world now.

The door to Yugi's bedroom banged open, and she heard his light footsteps speed down the stairs and out the front door. And she, with a dedication only love could bring about, silently opened her window and climbed up to the roof to follow and keep watch over her Pharaoh and his host.

After much leaping from rooftop to rooftop, Destiny finally arrived at the city square and sank down onto the concrete roof, gasping for breath. Even as the pressure on her lungs eased, screams from the crowd below alerted her to a new danger. Just like in the Dominion of the Beasts, the Great Eye was now opening itself to the human realm.

And it was looking directly at the Pharaoh.

Destiny flinched as it shot a wind tornado of amazing force at the man she had sworn to protect, but she knew there was little she could do. Either he would call upon Tumias to defend his world, or… she did not want to think of the alternative.

Luckily, she did not have to worry for long. With a deafening roar, Tumias burst forth in a flash of brilliant blue light. "Tumias!" Yugi cried. "Protect us from that monster!"

The dragon answered his master's call, summoning forth a fire attack with strength enough to cut straight through the Great Eye's icy winds. The Eye cracked and splintered like the glass in front of the Tablet of the Pharaoh had only a few hours before, unleashing a blast of tainted energy that shot pieces of the Orichalcos stone in every direction. The brief battle was over – for now.

As she watched, Dark Magician Girl appeared before Yugi in a glow of pink light. Destiny turned away as the young sorceress explained the Eye's retreat, hating the negative feelings that brewed within her over such a simple thing as being looked at by the Pharaoh without suspicion.

Overhead, the multicolored lights faded from the sky as Dartz's power diminished. A quick glance below showed the small group of friends slowly making its way back home. The Pharaoh was safe. She wasn't needed, and she had a few hours at least before her absence would be noted.

"I think it's time to pay someone a little visit," Destiny whispered to herself, a smirk twitching on her lips. "After all, what better time is there than in the wake of his latest failure?"

And then she was whisked away, across the Bridge and back again. Her destination: the place where the magic had been worked upon the Tablet of the Pharaoh. Thanks to the traces that magic had left behind, she at least had that much to go on. Chances were if she didn't find Dartz there, he would be somewhere nearby. Be that as it may, it was only prudent to proceed cautiously…

**-fire&ice-**

The Bridge dropped her off a little ways away from where the magic had been cast, and Destiny was glad for it. Because who should be standing there at that very moment, but Dartz himself?

Destiny's smirk widened as she took in the displeased frown on the silver-haired man's face. It lifted her own spirits just to see him so defeated. _'Could there be a better time to make a dramatic entrance?'_

While Dartz was occupied with his pathetic sulking, Destiny silently made her way closer. The place was a large stone cavern; a mere shadow of the grand temple that it had once been. Dark magic permeated the room entirely, and the imprints of stolen souls lined the walls. Destiny tried – in vain – to ignore the familiar faces staring back at her and focus solely on stepping quietly up behind her greatest nemesis.

When she stood directly behind him and he still could not sense her, she could not restrain herself any longer. Leaning in close so that the words brushed lazily over his ear, Destiny whispered, "Why the long face, Dartz?" As expected, the man flinched and whirled around, his face only inches apart from hers.

Mismatched eyes of green and amber met with cyan for the first time in 5000 years, and Destiny felt something within her begin to burn… but she was too numb to tell whether the feeling came from fire or ice.

**-fire&ice-**


End file.
